Timothy Alden (politician)

Timothy Alden
Deputy Leader of the Democratic Party
Personal details
Born Swieqi
Nationality Maltese
Political party Democratic Party
Residence Naxxar
Profession Politician, political party deputy leader, environmental activist

Timothy Alden (born 1991) is a Maltese politician, environmental activist and the current deputy leader of the Democratic Party.

Early life[1]

Timothy Alden was born in Swieqi in 1991. He spent many years in Germany at a young age. He currently lives in Naxxar.

In 2016 he graduated jointly with both a Bachelors and Masters in International Management and Intercultural Studies. He attained his degrees respectively from the University of Stirling and the University of Passau.[2]

Hobbies

Alden enjoys reading, writing, hiking and climbing.

He was in talks with the President of Malta to encourage the creation of a Maltese language course on duolingo.[3]

Political career

Alden's environmental activism began through his work with the NGO, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar. His first engagement with the NGO saw it present an open letter to the Prime Minister, demanding that the overdevelopment of the country be remedied.[4] Through FAA he also organised the 75th Anniversary of Operation Pedestal.[5] In the 2017 Maltese general elections, he agreed to contest with the Democratic Party as part of the Forza Nazzjonali alliance, contesting the 8th and 9th Districts. He believed that a third party was the only way to bring about desperately needed reform.[6] Although the government retained its power after the election, the Democratic Party elected two members to Parliament, becoming the first third party to do since before the Independence of Malta. Wanting the party to evolve beyond its association with her own image, Marlene Farrugia resigned from the post of party leader in August 2017.[7]

In the resulting leadership race, Timothy Alden contested the post against Anthony Buttigieg, believing the Democratic Party to be the vehicle for the greatest positive change in Maltese political history. Timothy Alden stated his belief in the need for constitutional reform, an end to tribalism and a more inclusive society.[8][9] During the contest, he organised a clean-up of St. George's Bay and invited Anthony Buttigieg.[10] Due to the fact he was not yet ready to step down from his practical and bread-winning professional obligations in Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, however, Timothy Alden decided to step down from the leadership contest, and supported the leadership bid of Anthony Buttigieg as his deputy leader.[11]

As deputy leader, Timothy Alden participated in a delegation to meet the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party in Amsterdam. The Democratic Party was then accepted as a full member of ALDE.[12]

The Democratic Party's first major test came when the government attempted to extend the hunting hours of Majjistral Park, in collusion with the Nationalist Party under its new leader, Adrian Delia. The Democratic Party resisted this move in Parliament, acting as the first Parliamentary party to stand up to the hunting lobby in Maltese history.[13] Noticing the vacancy left open by the Nationalist Party in Malta's Commission Against Corruption, the Democratic Party would also nominate its own candidate, Philip Micallef, to the post.[14] These stands in favour of the environment and good governance led to Alden declaring that the Democratic Party was dictating the agenda in Parliament.[15] The Democratic Party would also blow the whistle and raise resistance against an MP pensions reform bill, claiming that Parliamentarians should not be entitled to more public money until the country's other problems were taken care of. The Democratic Party was then able to claim victory against this bill, when the government and Nationalist Party backtracked on the proposal.[16]

In April, Alden would be one of the first to take an open and direct public stand against the system of clientelism which reigns in Malta, whereby each Ministry has a "customer care department". The existence of these departments was confessed by a government Minister.[17] Alden received a phone call at his household in which a Ministry offered favours to the family, implying an attempt to buy their vote. Alden responded by writing a letter to the Commissioner of Police and later filed a report to the Police.[18] Alden then went on to report the situation to the Commission Against Corruption when the Police took no action.[19] He succeeded in stirring public debate about clientelism and others stepped forward to speak against it.[20]

He has been a strong advocate for the government to buy the remaining gardens, fields and other green enclaves in Malta's towns and villages, so as to convert them into public spaces.[21][22][23]

Alden has also been campaigning for alternative means of transportation.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "The Politicians". Partit Demokratiku. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  2. ↑ "European Graduates | Universität Passau, Passau Area, Germany". graduates.name. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  3. ↑ "Forum | Duolingo". forum.duolingo.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  4. ↑ "[WATCH] FAA calls for environmental and social justice in open letter to the government". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  5. ↑ Ltd, Allied Newspapers. "Remembering the Convoy". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  6. ↑ "Institutional reform: Four under forty have their say". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  7. ↑ "Marlene Farrugia resigns from Partit Demokratiku leader - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  8. ↑ maltawinds.com (2017-09-16). "Statement by Timothy Alden who will be contesting the leadership of Partit Demokratiku - maltawinds.com". maltawinds.com. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  9. ↑ "What Does The Future of Maltese Politics Look Like? - The Yuppie". The Yuppie. 2017-09-25. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  10. ↑ Ltd, Allied Newspapers. "Hundreds get their hands dirty to clean up Malta". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  11. ↑ "Anthony Buttigieg is new Democratic Party leader". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  12. ↑ "PD accepted as a Member of the European Liberal and Democratic Alliance - TVM News". TVM English. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  13. ↑ "Updated | Extended Majjistral Park hunting hours untouched as government and opposition agree on amended motion". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  14. ↑ "PD formally nominates Philip Micallef on Commission Against Corruption - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  15. ↑ Ltd, Allied Newspapers. "PD are dictating the agenda - Timothy Alden". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  16. ↑ "PD declares victory over PL-PN collusion on MPs' pensions - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  17. ↑ "'The way our electoral system works gives rise to clientelism' – Jose Herrera - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  18. ↑ Ltd, Allied Newspapers. "PD deputy leader calls for investigation after his family was offered 'favours' by ministry". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  19. ↑ "PD deputy leader requests anti-corruption investigation into ministerial favours". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  20. ↑ "Ministries' customer care services calls raise concern and complaints - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
  21. ↑ "PD calls for revision of rural policy - TVM News". TVM English. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  22. ↑ "Destruction Of 'Gigantic Garden' In Birkirkara Sparks Creation Of New Anti-PA Online Community". Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  23. ↑ "Parks and recreation - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  24. ↑ Ltd, Allied Newspapers. "Intelligent transport future - Timothy Alden". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
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